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Gestures!

After getting back into figure drawing while in Austin a while ago, and seeing how helpful gestures are, I realized I needed to step my figure game up. My solution was saving a folder of "artistic nudes" off of DeviantArt (there's literally thousands of great photos, although you'll have to sift through some odd ones) and playing them in timed increments through my computer's slideshow function. I love it! It's not quite drawing from life, but I am able to draw from poses that a live model would not be able to hold.

The top row is 4 minutes gestures, with the next row 3 minutes, the next 2, etc. I've been looking a lot at Mucha's drawings lately. Speaking of Mucha, his popular "design-based watercolor" pieces are cool and all, but his drawings and oil paintings are where it's at!

Great drawings, as always, Francis. In regard of Mucha, I have several books on him, and if I have to pick up just one, that would be this http://www.amazon.com/Alphonse-Mucha-Agnes-Husslein-Arco/dp/3791343564/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270802439&sr=1-4(for its sheer size and the number of large repros)

I love the idea of the slideshow, and your figure studies are looking fresh. Mucha's plant studies are a marvel and you see how he incorporates his understanding of nature in his work. So good and timeless...

These are incredible. Youve inspired me to up my commitment to figurative work. After seeing these I tweaked my schedule to get more life drawing in. Even tried my hand and watercolour life drawing....Check out my blog and let me know what you think if you have time....